1. Technical Field
This invention relates to bird feeders and, more particularly, to a bird feeder employing a hinged roof and base for diverting snow and permitting food to drop to a ground level, in order to feed snow birds as well as small bird that are ground feeders, respectively.
2. Prior Art
Bird feeders are well known and comprise a myriad of forms. In its simplest form, a bird feeder may be a raised horizontal surface on which food is placed. In a more advanced form, a roof may be provided over the horizontal surface. In other cases, especially when loose seed is the food, the food may be placed in a vertical cylinder having an opening at the bottom for the seed to exit.
While each of the known bird feeders is satisfactory in one or more respects, many suffer from the disadvantage that the food is not adequately protected from rain and snow. Additionally, most suffer from the disadvantage that the food may be blown away by wind. The latter disadvantage is true even with the cylindrical type of bird feeder, as the seed can be blown away after it exits the cylinder. Bird feeders are preferably constructed with open access so that birds can fly in and out of the bird feeder without restriction and to provide visual observation of the birds while feeding. As a result of the open design, bird feeders permit snow and rain to enter the bird feeder thus causing deterioration of certain bird feed, in particular bird seed.
The Smith U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,984 discloses a bird feeder enclosure for sheltering a standard bird feeder. The enclosure has only one open side wall and the bird feeder is suspended within the enclosure. Smith thus provides for an inner roof and an outer enclosure, but does not show a hinged roof or cover for covering feeding stations and does not show a silo feeder with a hinged cover.
The Latham U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,546 is directed to squirrel-proofing bird feeders by means of a flexible covering sheet which is mounted above a standard bird feeder. The sheet functions as a squirrel guard to prevent access to the feeder but by virtue of its position above the feeder, the flexible covering could be considered to function as a primary roof. However, Latham does not disclose a integral feeding station with a hinged roof or a bird feeder with side walls.
Collins, U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,951, discloses an electrified feeder with a single hinged roof member, covering the seed supply.
The Greenough U.S. Pat. No. 2,705,938 teaches a silo or tubular feeder having a cylindrical body with apertures at the base for access to the seed supply. However, neither Greenough nor Collins discloses a primary roof member or side walls for use with silos for supplying bird seed to a position of accessibility.
Accordingly, a need remains for a bird feeder in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a device that is convenient and easy to use, is durable yet lightweight in design, is versatile in its applications, and provides the ability to divert snow away from the food as well as the ability to dispense bird food to a ground level.